the chief of the Main operations Directorate of the General staff of armed forces Colonel-General Sergey rudskoy
© Vadim Savitsky/press service of the defense Ministry of the Russian Federation/TASS
MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. The situation in Syria has dramatically improved since the signing in Astana of the Memorandum on the establishment of a de-escalation. This was reported to journalists by the head of the Main operations Directorate of the General staff of armed forces Colonel-General Sergey rudskoy.
“Dramatically for the better the situation has changed following the signing on 4 may 2017 in Astana a Memorandum on the establishment of a de-escalation in the Syrian Arab Republic. Actually stopped the civil war in Syria,” said rudskoy.
According to him, the commissioning of the Memorandum allowed to begin work on rebuilding war-torn communities, not employed by terrorist organizations. “Schools repaired to the maximum number of children can continue the learning process. Only last month by the international organizations they sent 14 humanitarian convoys, which greatly improved the situation of the population”, – said the General.
He also said that after the opening of a humanitarian corridor to al-Wafidin, organized with the participation of the Russian Centre for reconciliation of the warring parties in Eastern ghouta started to receive humanitarian assistance from UN and International Committee of the red cross and red Crescent societies. “This allowed us to reduce the prices of basic foodstuffs in a suburb of Damascus by 30-60%,” said rudskoy.
He said that the agreement on cease-fire signed by representatives of 1571 the village. In addition, in the present time to the cessation of hostilities joined 219 of the armed opposition.
Situation at Palmyra and Deir-ez-Zor
Armenian President also added that the militant groups of the terrorist organization “Islamic state” (IG banned in Russia) at Palmyra and Deir-ez-Zor intensified due to the actions of the international coalition.
“At the same time significant results of the fight against ISIL (formerly ISIS) coalition led by the United States, we do not see. Declaring the purpose of the fight against international terrorism, the coalition strikes on Syrian troops, freely produces ISIL militants from areas of the environment, strengthening terrorist groups in the areas of Palmyra and Deir-ez-Zor. I want to ask why they do it and what real purpose they serve?”, – the General said.
According to him, the General staff of the armed forces until he sees that “the coalition’s actions only prevented the defeat by government forces of groups of ISIS”. “Expect our coalition partners that they would take measures to prevent such incidents and more detail will be engaged in the fight against terrorist groups ISIL in Syria,” – said the General.
Rudskoy added that government forces backed by the Russian space forces not fighting against the Syrian opposition, and consistently reach the main goal is to defeat ISIS, “dzhebhat an-Nusra” (a terrorist organization banned in Russia) and their affiliated groups.
Training Syrian engineers
Almost 100 Syrian deminers were trained at the Russian International mine action centre in Aleppo.
“On June 2 at the Russian branch of the International anti-mine centre in Aleppo was held another edition of students. 92 Syrian sappers were sent to mine the city Maskana and other settlements in the Eastern parts of the provinces of Aleppo and HOMS, recently liberated from the jihadis,” he said.
Thus, as noted, Syrian engineers involved in humanitarian mine clearance in the liberated from the militants areas.
The situation in Damascus
Over 6.8 thousand militants and members of their families, according to Rudskoy, was released on humanitarian corridors from Damascus.
“In order to avoid losses among the civilian population, the operation was carried out at the conclusion of the militants and their families from the suburbs of Damascus and HOMS, held with the participation of officers of the Russian Center for reconciliation of the warring parties. In the course of this operation from the suburbs of the Syrian capital Bursa and Kabun in Idlib province exported 1853 5012 militants and members of their families,” he said.
According to him, the militants left the building checked by engineers in the presence of explosive devices. In parallel, we restore vital infrastructure and social infrastructure. “Residents of these areas returned to civilian life,” – said the Armenian President.
In addition, he said, completed their two month operation for removal of members of illegal armed groups from the HOMS suburb of al-Vaer. After the departure of the militants in al-Warp back about eight thousand civilians who have abandoned him.
In addition, in the Northern province of Damascus 2640 former militants took advantage of the decree of Amnesty, said rudskoy.